Surprise!

I have been avoiding my blog.  Why?  well I am full of surprises and didn't want to spill the beans on a current trip to Calgary.  I wanted to surprise a few fabulous theater people.  For those who know me (and if you are reading this you prolly know me) you know that i SUCK at lying and I SUCK at keeping secrets.  BUT I FINALLY DID IT!

I saw not one but TWO shows in Calgary.  I saw Emily in Titanic.  Beautifully haunting show.  And I saw a lot of old show buddies in The Producers tonight.  What can I say?  It made me miss the stage soooo very much.  There is nothing more awkward than for me to watch a killer show then come out to congratulate the performers and then have them ask "Sooo what are you doing?"  .... In the moment... honestly.. i just want to talk about them and bask in their awesomeness rather than talk about my latte handling and not so glamorous Toronto life.  I would give anything being on that stage singing.. dancing... acting my cute butt off.. but it's not easy.  I'm not being lame or pathetic but for real - just having a piece of paper from Sheridan doesn't mean you will raise to 'glory' right after school.   It's not a typical thing (or 'practical' thing)... and it's hard for some people to understand.  It makes me feel ashamed sometimes to have to tell people that I have 6 years of post secondary school... and I'm pretty talented... but yea - I am making lattes and don't have any theater stuff coming up.  It breaks my heart a little.  Le sigh.

However - on a more celebratory note... I could NOT have picked a better time to come to Calgary.  I am here... I saw my family.. and lo and be hold an incredibly dear friend to me is ENGAGED.  I will not say who for lack of knowing who reads this and who she has told.  But i am soooo happy for her and so happy to be here to SEE the ring (NOT on skype!!!).  Champagne will come out and tears will be shed for the beautiful engagement that is now official.  


Oh yea... this is a running blog! WELL LET ME TELL YOU.  My parents have an elliptical in their basement (that i had to DUST off *ahem*) and I went on it.  I went for an hour... and friends... I can pound out 13 KM in an hour.   Do you know how cool that was for me to see!?  I don't know the last time I felt that accomplished.  Graduation was more of a relief than anything... but 13 km in an hour feels like I've actually started this goal and journey... and am completely on track towards obtaining it!  Not to mention I actually ran on vacation.  That's impressive.   I ran again today - but only had time for a half hour in which I squeezed out 6.5 km.  This again got me pretty stoked as a few years ago, my official time for a 5KM race was 34 minutes.  I have bested myself.  And I like it.  And I want to beat it.

The next step in my training is to make my thighs melt a little bit.   Being that I am on a little bit of a vacation at my parents - shopping is involved.  I have a huge dislike for dressing room lighting.  I think that if some stores want to sell product - then they need to light dressing rooms in the most flattering way possible because let me tell you - I went from fab to drab faster than you can say fluorescent lightbulbs.  Yuuuucck.  Anyways.  My plan of action is to do some more light weight training focusing in on my arms and my thighal area.  Because those areas bummed me out (ha!).

I am looking forward to being back in Toronto.  It has been a short - yet sweet - visit to a place I used to call home.  However... the void in my heart tells me that home.. well... it's not here and I miss my home.  I miss my man.   I miss my Toronto friends.  I even miss Star.... well... no... I don't miss Starbucks.  I would take that grind smell and abolish for life if I could.  But I feel like the world I need is the world I've started to make for myself - joe job and all.  At least the people I work with are artsy people who understand that it's ok to not make a salary... it's ok to live paycheck to paycheck.. and it's ok (and encouraged) to follow your passions.

So onward I will go.... and wherever that takes me I hope to soar onto pretty fantastic things.   I do want to be somebody.   I just have to figure out all those little pieces in order to become the best possible version of myself that I can be.

With that I leave you my numbers - 43.5 hours 216 km. (!!!)

37 hours 180 km. New Year.

So since the last post.. I got sick!  Full on head cold poopy... sickness.  Therefore - running didn't happen so much in that week after.  The first run back afterward was HARD.  I was still coughing and sniffly... and my head was still full of mucus but I pushed through.  So I'm back now, have been hitting the treadmill really consistently once again.  To add some body shock into it to get me really revved up (and burning those extra holiday delicious calories!)  I've been doubling it up - spinning/pilates (spinlates) running/pilates, running/biking.  To really get that burn on and start the New Year feeling fantastic.

And I DO feel fantastic!  I was at pilates the other night at my gym.. and I'm a regualr there now so I know some other regulars.  This particular girl (who happens to be my birthday twin!) came up to me and told me that I was looking great and toned and like I'd been training really hard. 

Do you know how amazing that feels to have someone notice your hardwork?

I mean.. CN has been noticing the tone and that feels amazing.  But he thinks I'm beautiful even when I don't think I'm beautiful.  If I could have his eyes I'd be one cocky girl!!!!  But he's definitely been a huge support system..  to getting my butt into the gym... and to buying clothes that actually fit me and show off my body.

I'm getting kind of pumped for this new year thing.  I'm excited that I will be running a half marathon in 5 months.  I want to do a 10K first.... get my toes into that water then really work hard toward my next goal.   I'm also kind of intrigued at the idea of a triathlon......

Maybe I will train for a Half AND a triathlon.....

Now to find a pool.  Because I am NOT swimming in lake ontario.

With that I wish you all a beautiful, happy, fit New Year.

Ps... running is a breeze right now.  An hour goes by really really easily for me and i LOOOOVE it!!

A